Senator John Warner Announces His Retirement

Not exactly unexpected, but just about the last thing the Republicans needed at the moment. It puts Virginia very much in play for the Democrats, especially if the enormously popular former Governor Mark-No-Relation-to-John Warner decides to run for Warner’s Senate seat. And as we have noted before, the map was already a very difficult one for Republicans, given that 22* of the seats they now hold will be on the ballot, while Democrats will be defending only 11 of theirs.

*21 in regular rotation, plus a special election to fill the unexpired term of the late Wyoming Senator Craig Thomas, who died in June of leukemia.